1984 – Dab of Darkness Book Reviews

Interview: Hannah De Giorgis, Author of Threads in Time

Heya Folks! Please welcome Hannah De Giorgis to the blog today. She’s here to tell us a bit about herself and I’m excited to share a little about her time travel novel, Threads in Time.

What was the first major news story you remember as a child?

When Princes Diana died. I was sitting in my parent’s lounge; the news was on all day, and everyone was talking about it.

If candlemakers created a scented candle based on your latest book, what would that smell like?

An outdoor scent that’s fresh and exciting.

If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?

George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, because it made such an impression on me when I first read it, aged sixteen, and I still think it’s one of the most powerful novels ever written.

What mystery in your own life could be a plot for a book?

My adventurous but simultaneously troubled adolescence.

If you could pick a fictional character to officiate at your wedding or renewal vows, who would it be?

Albus Dumbledore.

If warning labels and safety features didn’t exist, what would be the likely thing you’d die from?

I’d probably be hit by a car; I frequently absent-mindedly cross the road!

Is there a genre or literary niche that you feel hasn’t gotten it’s deserved amount of attention?

Literary speculative fiction – I feel it’s underappreciated in the world of academia but, commercially, it gets the success it deserves.

If you could, what book or movie or TV series would you like to experience for the first time all over again and why?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy. They’ve always been my favourite films and I often wish I could watch them for the first time again; I wonder whether I would be as enamoured with them as an adult as I was as a child!

What are the top 3 historical time periods and locations you would like to visit?

Renaissance Florence; Ancient Rome; 1920s London…

Would you prefer to visit Earth in 2100 or travel back to 1900 for a short visit? Why?

I’d prefer to visit Earth in 2100 because I like surprises. And we already know what to expect of the past.

If you were asked to create the syllabus for a college class in Time Travel literature, what books would be on there as required reading? As passing discussion?

The Time Machine by HG. Wells, obviously – it’s a classic and one of the first of its genre; Outlander by Diana Gabaldon because it’s just as interesting to think about travelling into the past as well as into the future; and finally, another classic – Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

I’d like to encourage readers to visit my website, https://www.hannahdegiorgis.com, to check out my short stories, blog and poetry; and to look out for the Threads in Time sequel – This Moment I Stand On – due to come out in early 2020.

About Hannah De Girogis

Hannah was born and raised in the Cotswolds, England. After teaching English in Florence, Italy, for a time she moved to London, where she recently completed a Master’s in Modernist Literature at University College London. Prior to that, she studied English Literature at Birkbeck, University of London, where she graduated with first-class honours and won the John Hay Loban prize for student who shows the most promise in literature. Threads in Time is her debut novel. She now lives in London with her husband.

Website ~ GoodReads ~ Facebook

Book Blurb for Threads of Time: Twenty-two-year-old Lyndall Huxley wakes to find herself thousands of years into the future. Something went wrong with the programme for which she volunteered – a programme that employs Einstein’s laws of relativity to send travellers forward in time. The ruins overrun by green woodland in which she wakes are a far cry from the urbanised world she left behind in the 2200’s. Lyndall embarks upon a journey that will leave her questioning her very identity. She must choose between the new life that beckons and the old life from which, even thousands of years later, she cannot escape. She will discover that the mission was never about sending people into the future. Much more is at stake.

GoodReads ~ Amazon

Ebook Giveaway & Interview: Clive Fleury, Author of Kill Code

Folks, it’s my pleasure to have the entertaining Clive Fleury on the blog today. He’s here to chat a bit and introduce us to his dystopian scifi novel, Kill Code. He’s also offering up a giveaway – scroll to the bottom to check that out!

A toy company makes a replica action figure of your likeness. What TWO (2) accessories do they include?

As a writer, I spend a considerable amount of time in a chair. Actually, one particular chair—an aero miller chair. I love it! Just sitting in it makes me feel happy. Don’t ask me why, it just does. And it keeps my back straight too… well reasonably straight, anyway. So, definitely include this with my action figure. When I force myself to get up—and it takes an effort—I have to have the incentive to move. That’s where a full cup of strong coffee comes in. I know, coffee is supposed to be bad for you, possibly giving you cancer or worse. But boy does it perk me up. So make sure my action figure can hold a full cup of coffee in its plastic hand.

Society has fallen into a dystopian land full of dangers untold. Which 4 dystopian genre authors would you want with you to survive & perhaps raise us all out of this dystopian world?

Most dystopian genre novelists love to write about the black future we face, but few have much in the way of practical skills to survive—and I include myself in that list. But there are a few out there I would like to be on my side. George Orwell –1984 – was no armchair writer. He fought in the Spanish Civil War and took a hands-on approach to facing up to the future. So he goes right to the top of my list. Next, I’m staring at a photo of the Finnish Author Johanna Sinisalo. She looks fearsome and anyone who writes about the possibility of a hot chili saving the world is good to have on my side. Hugh Howey—Wool—is a must in my dystopian team. Someone who has the determination and drive to make a self-published book hugely successful definitely has skills. He would be a real asset in a dystopian society. Last but not least, I must include Robert Kroese – The Big Sheep – in my dystopian team. When the world is going to hell in a handbasket, I really do need someone around with a sense of humor.

If you could, what book or movie or TV series would you like to experience for the first time all over again and why?

Black Mirror, the Netflix series—Its stories, different for each episode, are so packed full of twists, turns, and mind-boggling ideas you can’t just watch it once. A second look is almost compulsory.

What has been your worst or most difficult job? How does it compare to writing?

This is easy—bringing up my daughter as she reaches the teenage years. Everything else, including writing, is a breeze.

What book should be made into a game (card, PC, board, etc.) and why? Is there a specific character who you would want to play in this game?

I will blow my trumpet on this. I think Kill Code: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel with all its twists and turns would definitely make a great game. I would play Hogan Duran, the hero.

Who are your favorite hero duos from the pages?

There are so many great hero duos it’s hard to choose, but I think probably Sherlock Holmes and Watson. They combine intelligence, bravery, camaraderie, and the ability to tell really great stories.

If you could sit down and have tea (or a beer) with 5 fictional characters, who would you invite to the table?

1. Dr. Who—There’s nothing like having a beer with a time traveler.
2. Jay Gatsby – He would probably not just come for a beer but organize a fabulous party and provide mystery, and a sense of romance to the event.
3. Sabrina—A young half mortal/half witch. What’s not to like about inviting her to have tea with me?
4. Sherlock Holmes—If he turned up he would make a great guest and be a mine of information about everyone and everything around.
5. Snowball, the pig hero from Animal Farm. I know his eating and drinking habits may leave something to be desired, but he’s a brave, outspoken animal who has a healthy thirst and would add a certain je ne sais pas to the proceedings.

Care to share an awkward fangirl/fanboy moment, either one where someone was gushing over your work…..or one where you were gushing over another author’s work?

I’m not really a gusher so I think I’ll give this question a miss. As for people gushing over me – I don’t think that’s ever happened!

You have to run an obstacle course. Who do you invite along (living or dead, real or fictional)?

1. Usain Bolt: For obvious reasons.
2. Katniss from the Hunger Games: She has proven to have all the skills to survive anything.
3. Hogan Duran from Kill Code: You need resourcefulness, bravery, physical ability, and mental agility to run an obstacle course and Hogan has them all.
4. El Chapo: A man expert at navigating tunnels. Need I say more?
5. Ruby Mason from Kill Code: Has all of Hogan Duran’s skills and is a woman to boot – so is probably better than him in most departments.

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

I’m about to arrange a few signings for my new book Kill Code—which I might just have mentioned before! I am also writing the second book in the trilogy, which is wearing out my brain cells at a rapid rate.

About Clive Fleury

I am an award-winning writer of books and screenplays, and a TV and film director and producer. I have worked for major broadcasters and studios on a wide variety of successful projects in the US, UK, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. I live in Miami with my wife, my teenage daughter, and a cat called Louis.

Website ~ Twitter ~ GoodReads ~ Amazon

Book Blurb for Kill Code

WHEN THE OCEANS RISE…THE TRUTH DROWNS
It’s the year 2031. Our future. Their present. A world decimated by climate catastrophe, where the sun’s heat is deadly and the ocean rises higher every day. A world ruled by the rich, powerful, and corrupt. A world where a good man can’t survive for long.

Hogan Duran was a good man once. He was a cop, forced to resign in disgrace when he couldn’t save his partner from a bullet. Now Hogan lives on the fraying edges of society, serving cruel masters and scavenging trash dumps just to survive.

But after four years of living in poverty, Hogan finally gets a chance to get back on his feet. He’s invited to join the National Security Council, the powerful paramilitary organization responsible for protecting the rich and powerful from the more unsavory elements of society. All he needs to do is pass their deadly entrance exam, and he’ll be rewarded with wealth and opportunity beyond his wildest dreams.

But this ex-cop’s path to redemption won’t be easy. The NSC are hiding something, and as Hogan descends deeper and deeper into their world, he starts to uncover the terrible truth of how the powerful in this new world maintain their power…and just how far they will go to protect their secrets.

In a world gone wrong, can one man actually make a difference, or will he die trying?

GoodReads ~ Amazon

GIVEAWAY!!!

Author Clive Fleury is generously offering up 5 ebook copies of his dystopian scifi novel, Kill Code. Do the Rafflecopter thing below or answer these questions in the comments: 1) What are some of your favorite dystopian novels? 2) Leave a way to contact you if you win (email, twitter, etc.). Open World Wide! Giveaway ends Feb 14, 2019, midnight.

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Audio/Paper/Ebook Giveaway & Interview: Rob Dircks, Author of Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff!

Everyone, please give a warm welcome to the talented Rob Dircks! I have had the pleasure to listen to three of his audiobooks, each also narrated by Rob (who is also a talented narrator). All were most amusing so I am so glad he is here today to share his latest – Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff! Scroll to the bottom to catch the giveaway!

If you could be an extra on a TV show or movie, what would it be and what would you be doing?

I’d love to be the kid that hands Spiderman back his mask on the subway in the original Spiderman 2 movie. In that one moment, the people of New York City, represented by this one extra for like one second, tell Spiderman that his secret is good with them, and that they believe in him. A super powerful moment. Now THAT’S an extra!

If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?

No hesitation: Cat’s Cradle, signed by Kurt Vonnegut. I’d love to meet my hero and sneak in a few questions while he’s signing it too. How the heck did he take these big ideas, and not just dramatize them, but twist them into wickedly-funny-yet-heart-wrenching stories? How was he so economical with his words, where it seems like every single word carried weight? (I’d also ask him if he could transfer his novel writing superpowers to me somehow.)

It’s time for you to host the book club. Who do you invite (living, dead, fictional, real)? And what 3 books will you be discussing?

Okay, no limits, right? I would invite Albert Einstein, Jesus, and Aristotle, and we would discuss the intersection of science, religion, and philosophy in the following books: 1984, Slaughterhouse Five, and Where the Hell is Tesla? (Okay, yes, I would want the three of them to talk about my book, so I could maybe get a blurb out of them for the book cover, like “Scientifically? It’s absurd! — Albert Einstein”)

If you had to choose someone to rescue you from the jaws of certain death would it be a superhero, supernatural creature, or a space alien?

Superhero. I like the idea of turning roles on their heads, so the one who normally does the saving is the one needing to be saved. And when I save them, they say “You’re my hero,” and we both kind of look at each other for a moment, like “did you really just say that?”

If you could introduce one of your characters to any character from another book, who would it be and why?

I’d love to introduce Chip, the main character from Where the Hell is Tesla?, to Chip, his namesake from one of my favorite childhood sci-fi novels, Ira Levin’s This Perfect Day. I think besides sharing the same name, they’d get a kick out of comparing notes on the insane worlds they live in. I’m afraid Chip would get annoying to This Perfect Day’s Chip pretty fast, though.

If you could, what book or movie or TV series would you like to experience for the first time all over again and why?

Without a doubt Harry Potter. I read the entire series aloud to my two kids, and then we would see each movie after we finished that particular book. It sincerely is one of the treasures of my life, and I would repeat that over and over again like Sisyphus. (But a good version of Sisyphus.)

I have a second answer for this one: I’ll never forget the feeling after seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark for the first time as a kid. The thrill I felt was beyond anything I’d felt before, and maybe since. I’d love to return to that moment one more time, to feel that absolute awe and joy over a movie.

What future invention would you like to see not only created during your life time, but readily available to the public?

I’ll keep this one semi-realistic. I’d like to see auto-driving cars become ubiquitous. I’m fascinated by the idea of changing the paradigm from car ownership to car “borrowship.” (Is that a word?) Like you just walk out your front door and a car is waiting to take you somewhere, and then you get out and that’s it – no parking, no lease payment, no maintenance, no nothing. And I LOVE the idea of that fleet (swarm?) of cars working together intelligently to eliminate traffic woes, accidents, and open up “riding” to be whatever we want it to be.

You are stuck in space in dire straights. Which science fiction authors would you want with you?

Vonnegut. Asimov. Scalzi. Hugh Howey. But maybe for this situation, especially Andy Weir, who wrote The Martian. He had such an imaginative way of solving problems in that book – with potatoes, for God’s sake – that I think he’d be the one to get us out of a jam. (Because on my own? I mean, have you read my books? I’d be a GONER.)

What is a recurring or the most memorable geeky argument or debate you have taken part in?

It’s not really an argument, or a debate, but I have this decades-long recurring thing with one of my oldest friends: a long time ago something bad must’ve happened in the world, I forget what, and we were talking about it, and he said, “Don’t worry. We’re headed for a Star Trek future.” (Meaning humanity makes it and thrives, we achieve a general peace, rule of law survives, etc.) So now, any time something bad happens, I’ll ask him, “are we still headed for a Star Trek future?” Luckily, his answer is still always “Yes.”

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

For events, my next will be Indie Author Day in the New York Public Library, where we share with budding authors and anyone interested our experiences in independent publishing. I also provide a hands-on demonstration on how to record your own audiobooks. It’s actually a nationwide thing, so even if you’re not in New York City, you can participate. It’s on October 14, 2017.

Beyond that, I’ll be doing other interviews, attending the Nebula Awards Conference in May, and hopefully speaking again at the Writer’s Digest Conference next summer.

For work, I’m actually diving into my next novel right now. It’ll be published through Audible Studios as an audiobook exclusive some time next year. It’s a Mars mission story, but a pretty crazy take on it. I’m so excited, because I didn’t know if I could pull off a female protagonist, but so far it’s feeling really good. God, I almost just told you her name, but I don’t think I’m supposed to take the lid off anything just yet!

SALE!!!

Both Where the Hell is Tesla? and Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff! are on sale on Amazon October 3-9, 2017 each for 99 cents/both for $1.98.

About Rob Dircks

Rob Dircks is the Audible bestselling author of Where the Hell is Tesla?, The Wrong Unit, Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff!, and a member of SFWA (Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America). His prior work includes the anti-self-help book Unleash the Sloth! 75 Ways to Reach Your Maximum Potential By Doing Less, and a drawerful of screenplays and short stories. Some of these sci-fi short stories appear on Rob’s original audio short story podcast Listen To The Signal, also narrated by the author.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Podcast ~ Instagram ~ GoodReads ~ G+

Book Blurb for Where the Hell is Tesla?

Sci-fi odyssey. Comedy. Love story. And of course… Nikola Tesla.

I’ll let Chip, the main character, tell you more: “I found the journal at work. Well, I don’t know if you’d call it work, but that’s where I found it. It’s the lost journal of Nikola Tesla, one of the greatest inventors and visionaries ever. Before he died in 1943, he kept a notebook filled with spectacular claims and outrageous plans. One of these plans was for an “interdimensional transfer apparatus” – that allowed someone (in this case me and my friend Pete) to travel to other versions of the infinite possibilities around us. Crazy, right? But that’s just where the crazy starts.”

Chip’s official disclaimer: This is a work of fiction: the events depicted in the collection of emails did not happen. I have never been in contact with a covert government group attempting to suppress knowledge of the lost journal of Nikola Tesla. I have not been threatened with death if I divulge the secrets contained inside. They did not buy me this handsome jacket (oh crap, you’re listening to this – trust me, it looks great on me). They did not come to my place, and liquor me up, and offer to publish this book as a sci-fi comedy novel to throw the public off the trail of the real truth.

Or did they?
I’m kidding. Of course they didn’t.
Or did they?
God, I can’t keep my big mouth shut.

Audible ~ Amazon

Book Blurb for Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff!

SOMETHING CALLED THE “BLUE JUICE” IS COMING. FOR ALL OF US.

Luckily, me (Chip Collins), Pete, Nikola Tesla, Bobo, and FBI Agent Gina Phillips are here to kick its ass, and send it back to last Tuesday. Maybe. Or maybe we’ll fail, and everyone in the multiverse is doomed. (Seriously, you might want to get that underground bunker ready.) Either way, I’ve got to get home to Julie and find out… woah, I’m not about to tell you that right here in the book description! TMI.

WARNING: If you haven’t read Where the Hell is Tesla?, I apologize in advance, as you might get completely freaking lost. If you do, just call my apartment, I’m usually around, and I’ll fill you in.
(If I’m not stuck in the ITA.) – Chip

Audible ~ Amazon

GIVEAWAY!!!

Rob Dircks is offering up five copies of Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff! in the US only, in the format of the winners’ choice (ebook, paperback, or audiobook). By the way, Don’t Touch the Blue Stuff! works just fine as a stand alone. Do the Rafflecopter thing below or answer these questions in the comments: 1) You are stuck in space in dire straights. Which science fiction authors would you want with you? 2) If you win, what format (ebook, paperbook or audiobook) would you want? 3) Leave a way to contact you (email, twitter, etc.). Giveaway ends November 5, 2017 midnight.

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Bookish Giveaway & Interview: James W. George, Author of My Father’s Kingdom

Scroll to the bottom for the giveaway!

Folks, please give a warm welcome to historical fiction author James W. George. I recently had the pleasure of listening to his book, My Father’s Kingdom, which explores the relations between the Wampanoag tribe and the Puritan colonists of the 1670s.

If you could be an extra on a TV show or movie, what would it be and what would you be doing?

Wow, what a fun question. Is time travel a possibility? I might have to go back to 1970 and pilot a B-25 while sitting next to Art Garfunkel in “Catch-22.” If I have to stick around 2017, I guess “The Tudors” is long gone so I can’t gallivant around with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Natalie Dormer and Henry Cavill in my finest sixteenth-century frippery.
I guess I’ll keep it simple and appear on the next “Avengers” movie. Maybe I can smack some of the smugness out of Tony Stark, and my daughter would be extremely jealous.

What are the top 3 historical time periods and locations you would like to visit?

My first answer is very predictable. When writing and marketing My Father’s Kingdom, I’ve held fast and true to a fundamental precept: King Philip’s War in 1675 New England was one of the most fascinating and catastrophic events in American history, and most of us have never even heard of it.

So certainly, I would welcome the opportunity to see seventeenth century New England, especially the first interactions between some of the Native people and the European settlers.

I would love to visit well-studied periods like WWII, the American Revolution, the Viking conquests of England, and Tudor England, but I feel like historical fiction and cinema have done such a remarkable job of recreating these eras, I almost wonder if anything would genuinely be surprising.

If you’re going to hand me a fully-functioning time machine, I think I’d like to see some really obscure and mysterious periods, such as the empires of South America.

If you could give any literary villain a happy ending who would you chose?

Brom Bones from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow is a remarkable piece of American literature. I love it so much my daughter is named Katrina. The lyrical prose by Washington Irving is simply unbelievable.

Brom Bones is the villain, but what did he actually do? He deceived the interloping schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane, with a brilliant ruse. No one was actually hurt, maimed, or killed. I guess in the end he already has his happy ending, but I would hope he and Katrina lived a wonderful married life together.

It’s time for you to host the book club. Who do you invite (living, dead, fictional, real)? And what 3 books will you be discussing?

Wow. Let’s go with some intellectual giants of American history. Maybe Increase Mather, John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Let’s throw in some modern-day wit. Perhaps Mark Steyn can regale us with the conservative viewpoint, and Jon Stewart can hold down the left wing.

What to read? Probably 1984 and Catch-22, but we’re going to have to do an awful lot of explaining to all those old people. And of course, my book, so Increase Mather can tell me how unfairly I portrayed him.

What has been your worst or most difficult job? How does it compare to writing?

I used to load trucks for UPS while in high school. It was physically exhausting and quite difficult. You don’t load one truck at once, you loaded multiple trucks.

In addition to the physical toil, it was all like one big game of Tetris; you have to make sure you’re building the wall of boxes in the most logical, sturdy fashion possible. I guess there’s a lesson there for writers; sometimes you think all the disparate elements are seamlessly coming together in a nice, impressive structure, but when they don’t, you have to tear it down and start over.

What nonfiction works have you found useful in building fictional worlds, cultures, and plots?

As a writer of historical fiction, I rely on countless works of nonfiction that help make 1670s New England come to life. I think one book in particular, which is probably my favorite work of nonfiction, is Don’t Know Much about the Bible by Kenneth Davis. He approaches all the complex, thorny questions of the Bible with an open mind, and gears the book toward those who know little or nothing about the Bible. It helped me imagine how incomprehensible the Puritans and Bible must have been to Native Americans in the seventeenth century.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I live my relatively mundane life here in southeastern Virginia. I work my day job (which I love) and spend time with my wife and two kids. I’m a big music fan and it’s been a great pleasure watching my sixteen-year-old guitarist son completely eclipse me musically.

What is the first book you remember reading on your own?

Yikes. No distinct memory is coming to mind. It might have been Clifford the Big Red Dog. I also remember loving the “Encyclopedia Brown” series as a kid. We have a house full of books and have kept quite a few children’s books. My favorite, hands-down, is Yertle the Turtle. That is Dr. Seuss at his finest!

Which ancient or historical works have you not read and periodically kick yourself for not having made time for them yet?

I’ve completely immersed myself in the New England of the 1670s this year, but it’s reminded me how ignorant I am of so much history regarding the European exploration of the United States before the Mayflower. I live down the road from Jamestown, so I’m pretty familiar with that, but the tales of Spanish conquistadors like Coronado and DeSoto exploring the southern U.S. in the 1500s are unbelievable. How many Americans know the tale of the French Huguenot settlement in Florida?

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

Book Two should be out this fall, and I’m delighted with how it’s shaping up. I think Book One is quite atmospheric. It develops the characters and sets the tone for King Philip’s War, whereas Book Two is the actual war and is a little more action-packed. Benjamin Church, one of colonial America’s most famous soldiers, will play a very prominent role.

Check out more interviews, spotlights, & reviews on the blog tour.

About Author James W. George:

James W. George is a debut author currently residing in Virginia. He is a graduate of Boston University, a military veteran, and a lover of historical fiction.

Amazon ~ GoodReads

Synopsis of My Father’s Kingdom:

In 1620, more than 100 devout men and women crossed the treacherous Atlantic Ocean and established a colony in the New World where they could build a righteous and Godly society. Without the fortuitous friendship of the Wampanoag people and their charismatic leader Massasoit, however, it is doubtful the holy experiment would have survived.

Fifty years later Plymouth Colony has not only survived, it has prospered, and more and more Englishmen are immigrating to New England. The blessed alliance with the Wampanoag, however, is in severe jeopardy. Massasoit has passed away along with most of the original settlers of Plymouth Colony, and their children and grandchildren have very different ideas about their historic friendship.

Thrust into the center of events is Reverend Israel Brewster, an idealistic young minister with a famous grandfather and a tragic past. Meanwhile, Massasoit’s son, known as “King Philip” by the English, is tormented by both the present and the past. He is watching the resources and culture of the Wampanoag nation fade away at the hands of the English and desperately wishes to restore hope and security to his people.

In a world of religious fervor, devastating sickness, and incessant greed, can the alliance of their forefathers survive? Or will New England feel the wrath of tragic, bloody war?

Audible ~ Amazon ~ Audio Excerpt

About Narrator Angus Freathy:

Angus Freathy was born and educated in London – that’s the one in England, for you Ohio folks!

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, he went to Switzerland to join Nestlé for a 2-year wandering assignment, which lasted 37 years and involved travel and work on every continent (except the cold ones at the top and bottom).

Periods of residence in the U.S., Hong Kong and Switzerland have resulted in a network of friends and acquaintances with an amazing range of world insight and a wide repertoire of mostly excellent jokes.

Since retirement, Angus and his (still working) wife, Debra have lived in Oregon, Maryland and are now in Dublin, Ohio, ‘the only place we have actually chosen to live since we have been married!’.

Following a crushing rejection by the BBC at the age of 19, Angus is re-activating a long-held ambition and launching a new career in voice-over, with the sole intention of having some fun and being in touch with some very talented people.

Website

GIVEAWAY!!!

The giveaway is for a $25 Amazon gift Card. Open internationally! Ends August 6th, 2017.

My Father’s Kingdom Giveaway: $25 Amazon Gift Card

Book Giveaway & Interivew: Goncalo J. Nunes Dias, Author of The Good Dictator

Folks, please give a warm welcome to Gonçalo J. Nunes Dias. He kindly lets me heckle him with questions and is also offering up 5 ebook copies of The Good Dictator, open internationally! Also, he has a GoodReads giveaway for a hardback going on. So check that out as well! Scroll to the end of the post to check out that giveaway!

In addition, on April 12, 2017, The Good Dictator will be free on both Amazon.com and Smashwords!

If you had to choose someone to rescue you from the jaws of certain death would it be a superhero, supernatural creature, or a space alien?

Definitely a space alien that takes me to their planet.

What has been your worst or most difficult job? How does it compare to writing?

A bartender, I really was the worst bartender of the bar, I had no patience for dealing with the clients. Writing, to me, it’s a hobby, I do it for pleasure.

If you had to survive an apocalyptic attack on Earth, which 4 post-apocalyptic authors would you want with you?

None, in a post-apocalyptic world I prefer handyman people.

Who are some of your favorite book villains?

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille from Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Raskolnikov from Crime and Punishment
Teresa Mendoza from The Queen of the South

Do you have any phobias?

Rats like Winston Smith in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

In my experience, some of the best fiction is based on facts. Did you draw upon your Environmental Engineering degree for some aspects of your book?

Yes, no doubts, here’s an excerpt:

Look, Rafael, I don’t know what that is or who they are, but one week ago they parked an object on the Moon and they didn’t make any kind of contact with us until now. This message is not the work of a lunatic who wants to spend money; it would have already been discovered, this message is from someone who sees us as a threat, some kind of plague, and, after an analysis on our consumerist, selfish and destructive behavior decided that six billion of us must die. I don’t know how they are going to do this, but certainly they will do this in a very technologically advanced way and if they are worried about other species, I understand that they will attack especially large cities, I don’t believe they will attack the Amazon region. As such, I believe our only possibility of survival would mean going to an isolated region from the rest of mankind.

If you could sit down and have tea (or a beer) with 5 fictional characters, who would you invite to the table?

I would prefer to sit down and have a nice beer with my grandparents just liked in the old days

What do you do when you are not writing?

Working; playing with my kids; travelling in my own world; trying to find the meaning of life.

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the
readers?

Well, I will continue writing and publish books, even if no one wants to read them.

About Author GJN Dias:

Gonçalo JN Dias was born in Lisbon in 1977, and graduated in Environmental Engineering and Natural Resources of the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco. He lives today in the Basque Country, Spain.

The Good Dictator I, was his first novel, became a bestseller in Portugal and Brazil, and consequently it was translated in two more languages.

Before writing the second part of The Good Dictator, he’s now writing a crime fiction. Besides writing, he is an Ork Tree Expert and Ornithologist.

goncalonndias@gmail.com

Places to Stalk GJN Dias

website ~ facebook ~ twitter ~ goodreads ~ Amazon

Book Blurb about The Good Dictator:

Synopsis I
An unidentified object parked on the moon – and no one seems to know where it came from. Gustavo, a middle-aged computer programmer with a comfortable and grey life, decides to make a list of what he would need to survive a hypothetical attack. He becomes obsessed with the list, spends a fortune, robs a drugstore: his own family thinks he is going insane. However, after the attack, it’s the insane who are well prepared for a new era in society. First book of a trilogy.

Synopsis II

– A genre-busting book that includes adventure, thriller, dystopia or utopia and an exciting love story.

– A trilogy: part one happens in southwest Europe, in our time.

– The main character, Gustavo, does not get along well with his parents-in-law, and his wife does not like Gustavo’s friends.

– There’s an object parked on the Moon, but curiously, the unfolding of the story does not take place in New York, for instance.

Amazon ~ Smashwords

GIVEAWAY!!!

Check out the GoodReads giveaway for a hardback going on.

In addition, on April 12, 2017, The Good Dictator will be free on both Amazon.com and Smashwords!

Gonçalo is graciously offering up 5 ebooks of The Good Dictator [OPEN INTERNATIONALLY]. Do the Rafflecopter thing below or answer these questions in the comments: 1) Who are some of your favorite book villains? 2) Where do you live? Giveaway ends May 12th, 2017, midnight.

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Interview: Jake Urry, Narrator of Shadows of Tomorrow

Everyone, please welcome Jake Urry to the blog today. I really enjoyed his narration of The Cryptic Lines by Richard Storry. Today, we’re here to promote his latest narration, Shadows of Tomorrow by Jessica Meats. A big thank you to Jess at The Audio Book Worm for setting up this book tour. Swing by the tour page to catch more interviews, spotlights, and audio excerpts. On to the interview!

Is there a genre or literary niche that you feel hasn’t gotten it’s deserved amount of attention?

I think that although the genre is very popular with a lot of people, Sci-Fi and Fantasy novels can often be disregarded as ‘all being the same’ by many readers who haven’t tried them, and won’t because they think they’ll be reading about wizards and aliens that they can’t relate to. I think if more people tried an occasional new Sci-Fi or Fantasy novel they’d be surprised at the diversity of the stories and the legions of complex and relatable characters!

What has been your worst or most difficult job? How does it compare to voice acting?

I spent a short time (that felt like a lifetime) in a factory assembling cosmetic displays, which involved the same mindless repetitive tasks day in and day out. One of my final jobs there was gluing tiny rubber feet on to thousands of Hello Kitty nail varnish holders. I was very happy to say ‘Bye Bye Kitty’ when the time came. Voice acting in complete contrast is different every day, challenging, more fun and most importantly lets me use my imagination!

What reboots (or retellings) of classics have you enjoyed? Are there ones that haven’t worked for you?

The 1975 animation of Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island is something that terrified and enthralled me as a child and has stayed with me ever since. There have been a lot of live action versions but I think the animation is the best. I’m also partial to Nick Park’s claymation classic Chicken Run, as a re-imagining of The Great Escape. I don’t mind admitting I think it’s a glorious piece of cinema.

If everyone came with warning labels, what would yours say?

‘If sleeping, wake me up at your own peril’

If you could sit down and have tea (or a beer) with 5 fictional characters, who would you invite to the table?

Miss Mowcher from David Copperfield
Gandalf from LotR
Dumbledore from Harry Potter
Winston Smith from 1984
Captain Ahab from Moby Dick

What is the first book you remember reading on your own?

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. (I tend to do things in the wrong order).

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

I’ll be taking part in Mystery and Thriller Week in February (12th-22nd), it’s shaping up to be awesome with a lot of authors and contributors involved! Check it out here – https://mysterythrillerweek.com

Thank you for having me over on your lovely blog!

About Jake Urry:

Jake Urry is a British actor and audiobook narrator, and also co-founder of Just Some Theatre. Since graduating from an Acting degree course in 2012 he’s toured with Just Some Theatre as an actor and producer, worked on a number of commercial voice over projects and most recently started producing Audiobooks. Jake has produced over 10 titles since March 2016 and has rapidly found himself at home narrating Thriller, Horror, Mystery and Suspense titles. His audiobook work includes dark psychological thrillers White is the Coldest Colour and Portraits of the Dead by John Nicholl, occult mystery series The Ulrich Files by Ambrose Ibsen, and gritty Sci-Fi novel Shadows of Tomorrow by Jessica Meats.

Connect with the narrator: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ GoodReads ~ Voices ~ Soundcloud

Synopsis of Shadows of Tomorrow:

Earth is at war. Portals are opening across the planet and bringing creatures known as Outsiders. Their only desire is to eat, leaving a trail of destruction in their path. The only people who can stop them are the Defenders – led by Gareth Walker – who can open portals of their own to target the Outsiders in minutes. Gareth’s only advantage is an ability to see glimpses of his future.

For the past decade the Defenders have held back the incursion, but now a new portal opens, bringing something that Gareth did not see coming. As he must find a way to stop this new threat, he starts a quest for answers. He must learn how the war began and find a way to stop them once and for all.

All the while, he is aware of a shadow in his future; a moment he can’t see past. Will stopping the Outsiders cost him everything?

Audible ~ Amazon ~ iTunes

About the Author Jessica Meats:

Jessica Meats is a graduate of the University of York and works in the IT industry. She draws on her experiences as a technology specialist and martial arts student to create a unique and interesting fictional community of combat experts and computer geeks.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ GoodReads ~ tumblr

Paperbook Giveaway & Interview: Paul J. Joseph, SF Author of Through the Fold Series

Folks, it’s my joy to have Paul J. Joseph on the blog today. We chat about books to movies, villains, geeky arguments, and plenty more! Also, don’t miss the GIVEAWAY at the end of the post.

If you could, what book/movie/TV series would you like to experience for the first time all over again and why?

Honestly, this is something I think about surprisingly often, but not necessarily the way one might expect. The game I often play with a favorite movie or any kind of story would be to wonder how it would be perceived by somebody else. Imagine if you could share with a young Gene Roddenberry some of the more recent Star Trek movies just to find out if in fact those things based on his vision are anywhere near his original expectations. And, though it may sound like a really silly idea, I’ve often wondered how an earlier version of myself might perceive my own writings, especially before I wrote the first one or while I was thinking of the initial details.

But seriously, there are loads of movies and books that I love, but those that stand the test of time are relatively few. Some that rise to the top may not be all that popular or well known, but I suppose that’s the point of the question. I love the movie Unbreakable, starring Bruce Willis. As both a film maker and a writer, I can’t speak highly enough of the true mastery of the details of that movie. I honestly prefer that to all the other works of M. Night Shyamalan. I also liked The Thirteenth Floor, another obscure science fiction movie. For dystopian masterpieces, (I know you may hate me for this) I’d have to choose Soylent Green, yes I loved that movie and there is now a food company called Soylent, imagine that!

Who are some of your favorite book villains?

Looking over my favorite books, it’s surprising how many good science fiction stories don’t actually have obvious villains. For example, who was really the villain in 2001? Who was the villain in AI or Solaris? In 1984, the most depressing book I’ve ever read, I would have to say that the villain is not the O’Brian character, but Big Brother himself. The scary thing there is that, since he really didn’t exist, he couldn’t be killed, and that’s really the point. In science fiction, villains can stretch the boundaries a bit, and I’m particularly proud of some of the villains I’ve designed. In general, I don’t like one-dimensional villains. Most cheap horror stories and bad science fiction have villains that like to kill people for no particular reason. Even though it worked, Alien would fall into that category. The alien could not be reasoned with and it had no back story. It was pretty much like fighting a virus or any other force of nature. The Terminator was also like that, though he did it with class. The T-1000 was a far better villain in the second movie, however, because he didn’t look like a villain and could basically be anybody. My favorite villains are the ones who have charisma and possibly curb appeal. Magneto in the X-Men movies always had a point. We may not want him to win, but we understand where he’s coming from.

Do you have any phobias?

My most significant phobia would be heights. I can go to the top floor of any building and look out the window, but there is only so far I can climb up a ladder. When I visited New Orleans one time we stayed at a hotel that had a rooftop pool. I could swim in it, but I had to hold on tight to the railing in order to look at the skyline. Grandfather Mountain is another matter. There are no railings!

Is there a book to movie/TV adaptation that you found excellent? Is there a PC game to book adaptation that worked for you?

This is a particular passion of mine because I’ve seen some terrible bastardizations of books in my time. Almost every attempt to recreate a Dean R. Koontz book has ended in disaster, though I haven’t seen them all. Two great attempts of novel into film would be 2001 (and 2010) though much of what made those books so interesting really didn’t translate visually. Solaris was the other. The Tarkovski version was fascinating, but hardly scratched the surface of the book. The later George Clooney version was far worse, however, to the point that much of the story was completely different than the book. Honestly, the best I’ve seen thus far was the John Hurt version of 1984 that was actually made in 1984. Both the movie and the book left you feeling just as empty, and I can’t really think of a single scene in the book that wasn’t represented. I’m not so much into PC games, though I did play them when I was younger. I will say that Silent Hill, which I only played briefly, made an excellent movie! That’s the best example I can think of. Generally, there isn’t enough information in a video game to make a truly great movie or book in my opinion. The best that can be done is a movie based on the idea of the game, which is a very different thing. Honestly, most games based on movies or books are greatly over-simplified.

In this age of publishing, self-promotion is really necessary for the author. What do you enjoy most about advertising yourself and your works? What do you find most challenging?

I will step out and say that I don’t really like self-promoting. I honestly prefer to let my work speak for itself whenever possible. Social media campaigns are the way to go these days and I’m very glad we have these, but the work involved is often tedious, repetitive, and ineffective. Because I have a media background, I have no problem making my own websites, some book covers, and general graphics. I enjoy that kind of work because it involves producing something that can be later evaluated for what it is. A social media campaign is more amorphous and often involves posting just to post. I’m just not good at that.

Care to share an awkward fangirl/fanboy moment, either one where someone was gushing over your work…..or one where you were gushing over another author’s work?

I actually have a lot of those. All of my books are available as podcasts and I have loyal listeners all over the world. One woman told me I had a hypnotic voice. I didn’t quite know how to process that. Several people have told me they would drive places just to keep listening to my chapter installments. I have a friend in Australia who corresponds with me from time to time, and I had a very nice couple of phone conversations with a fellow in Detroit who wanted to help me market my work. One of the strangest encounters I had was with somebody who kept asking me very detailed questions about the universe I wrote about, surprisingly detailed based on only listening to my work. He also put together an elaborate timeline that supposedly kept track of elements in the story. In short, he may have known more about the details of the story than I did, and I was amazed that he would spend so much time studying it. I like to converse with readers and am happy to make time for them. The only author I’ve ever been in contact with is Nathan Lowell, who wrote a series of books called the Age of the Solar Clipper. I became interested in this series when I first learned to podcast.

What is a recurring or the most memorable geeky argument or debate you have taken part in?

I must admit that it’s hard to write science fiction without breaking some rules, and there are some arguments that always come up. For example, most space-based adventures have real time conversations between planets and stars, where time delays would be inevitable. I write about VR links where my space explorers can visit their families in real time. I allude to the existence of some kind of faster-than-light transmission, but that’s really just a copout. My father was a physicist, and the most interesting discussion I ever had with him was one where I thought he was going to laugh out loud at one of my more far out ideas, but he actually said it would be possible, or at least not impossible. This was concerning an alien environment I write about in Web of Life. There we have what amounts to a massive “bubble” in space in which there is an atmosphere, but no gravity. From the inside it appears to be a never ending sky where wind currents go in all directions, but there is no up or down. Considering that my father didn’t like most science fiction, I took his lack of laughter as high praise.

What is the first book you remember reading on your own?

The very first book I ever read was The Mystery of the Talking Skull by Alfred Hitchcock. My mother put it in my notebook in the sixth grade. I don’t think there is a single Three Investigators book I haven’t read. I didn’t read the Hardy Boys, though.

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

I don’t have a lot of national or international activity in the near future, but I will be participating in a small private book signing on the 10th of September at a store called 2nd and Charles in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The fun begins at 12 and it goes until 2PM.

Other than this, my most immediate plans include publishing a short story anthology, possibly called Twisted Fire. The next series I am working on concerns an artificial intelligence on a journey of self-discovery. He kind of exists in the same universe Sally Buds inhabits, but he chooses to make his home on Mars.

Where to Find Paul J. Joseph

Author Bio:

Paul J. Joseph is an independent film maker as well as a story teller through writing. One of his recent films has been featured in the 2010 Ava Gardner Independent Film Festival. He has been teaching mass communication courses at a college level for 20 years, and currently works at a small private university in North Carolina. He lives with his wife Tyreese, his son Ian, a mother in law, and three cats.

Paul Joseph’s first love has been and always will be science fiction. He looks for ideas that are based on plausible trends in technology, both good and bad. He is particularly interested in space travel and time travel, which can include alternate realities and paradoxes. He tends to avoid fantasy and magic. So, if you are looking for elves and fairies, this is not your guy. On the other hand, ESP and other observable phenomena may well be fair game.

Book Blurb for Marker Stone (Book 1 of Through the Fold series): There’s trouble on CMC-6 and it’s been brewing for a long time. The golden age of space travel and asteroid mining has ended and the bean counters have taken over. Sally Buds’ patients are all suffering from low-gravity syndrome because the Canadian Mining Consortium won’t spring for gravity generators and the miners won’t exercise. On top of this the station might be facing hard times. An expensive mining robot disappeared while surveying a region of space known and Kelthy. But then, after a replacement is over, it reappears. How could the station personnel have been so incompetent? But Sally has another question. Where did the probe go when it was out of contact? Where did the strange rock samples come from and why did the images it saw not correspond with known star charts? Her new friend Ian Merryfield, an RAF shuttle pilot, wants to know, too. But the station commander does not. What is in the Kelthy region and why do things disappear there? Is it a hoax intended to scare away claim jumpers or is it the greatest discovery of the twenty-first century? Ian and Sally intend to find out even if it means risking their careers or even their lives. Not knowing would be worse.

Book Blurb for Homesick (Book 2 of Through the Fold series): The mission to New Ontario, isn’t going as planned. Scott Anderson walked ten paces onto the new world and disappeared from radio contact. Not knowing Scott’s fate but fearing the worst, Captain Sally Buds embarks on a rescue mission that risks her life and that of her pilot, Ian Merryfield. There Sally and Ian uncover a chilling reality. Something terrible has happened on New Ontario. The evil regime of the Masters have consumed an entire civilization and established an empire of unspeakable barbarism. And now, so far away from home and help, it becomes clear that the Masters’ rapacious attentions have been drawn to Earth. Sally and Ian must now defend themselves and their planet from a tyranny that goes beyond slavery.

Giveaway!

Paul is generously offering up five Kindle copies (international) of Homesick and two print ones (USA only). Homesick works quite fine as a stand alone novel. Do the Rafflecopter thing below or answer these questions in the comments: 1) Is there a book to movie/TV adaptation that you like? 2) What country are you in – ebook or paperbook? Contest ends October 3rd, 2016, midnight.

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Giveaway & Interview: Lee Stephen, Author of Dawn of Destiny

Hello readers! Join us today for a chat with author Lee Stephen. Today we chat about childhood books, obstacle courses, dream SFF college courses and much more! You can check out the giveaway at the end of the post. Also, a big thanks to iRead Book Tours for asking me to join in. You can check out the tour schedule over HERE.

What has been your worst or most difficult job? How does it compare to writing?

My worst job by far was as a mall survey guy. I got hired as one at the Esplanade Mall in Kenner while I was on summer break from college. There’s no way to compare it to writing, let alone anything dignifying. Your job was basically to aggravate people into answering questions. It’s a job that I think has gone extinct, and the world is better for it.

In this age of publishing, self-promotion is really necessary for the author. What do you enjoy most about advertising yourself and your works? What do you find most challenging?

Self-promotion actually isn’t my favorite part of writing, so I kind of consider it a necessary evil. I rather let my writing speak for itself. I think if you write something that’s entertaining enough, people will come to it on their own.

If you were asked to create the syllabus for a college class in SFF literature, what books would be on there as required reading? As passing discussion?

I really think 1984 would be on the required reading list, just because it hit on so many notes that are reflective of society today. I’d probably also include some of Crichton‘s work, as he was a huge influence on the genre. You can’t forget Bradbury, either. Any one of those authors could lead off an entire course.

Care to share an awkward fangirl/fanboy moment, either one where someone was gushing over your work…..or one where you were gushing over another author’s work?

Without a doubt, it would have to be when a fan showed up at my place of work to ask me some questions! I work for Homeland Security, too, so that took some brazenness. That happened pretty early on in my writing career, too, which is odd. Thankfully that was only a one-time occurrence. Fans, don’t stalk your authors!

What is a recurring or the most memorable geeky argument or debate you have taken part in?

My college roommate, Joel, used to argue with me incessantly. We argued for like an hour on whether the phrase, “you can’t have your cake and eat it, too” was a truth.

What is the first book you remember reading on your own?

If you discount child books like, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, then it’d be The Curse of Blood Swamp, by Cindy Savage! And yes, I had to look it up to remember. I think I got that in elementary school from a book fair, or something. I don’t even remember the story today, but I do remember reading it over and over when I was a kid. Man, you got me wanting to go hunt that thing down now and see what all the hubbub was about back then! I obviously loved it enough to read it about a dozen times.

You have to run an obstacle course. Who (fictional or real) do you invite along? Will there be a tasty libation involved?

I think I’d own an obstacle course! I’ve always wanted to run one. I might need to dust off my old P90X DVDs, though, to get back in “playing” shape. If I had to pick one character, limiting it to Epic just because, why not, I’d probably have to take Scott, my lead character. He was a college athlete, so he can pick up any slack I leave for him.

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

The biggest event happening in my life, right this very minute, is celebrating our second son, Lawson, into the world! He’ll have just been born by the time people start reading this, so rest assured, I’m sleep deprived at this very moment. Daddy loves you, new little buddy.

Book Description for Dawn of Destiny Audiobook

The Dawn of Destiny audiobook project is a full adaptation of the first book in the Epic series. It’s not your typical “audiobook,” even though technically that’s what it is. When people hear “audiobook,” there’s a certain type of thing that usually comes to mind. Most likely it’s the thought of someone reading a book to them, occasionally with music playing in the background. This isn’t that.

What you’re going to hear in this project, is more of an audio “experience,” the audio equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie. Over thirty voice actors played a role in this. This is ear-splitting sound effects, bombastic music, and characters shouting back and forth in the middle of a war zone. This is unlike anything you’ve ever heard.

Book Description for Outlaw Trigger

They say every man has a breaking point-every man can be pushed off the edge. Scott Remington entered EDEN with the heart of a lion. He forged glory in the furnace of war. But on the heels of dawn, darkness awaits. Only when stretched to the limit will a man truly learn who he is. That limit is about to be breached. Lines will be crossed. Sides will be chosen. And faith will be put to the test. Will the righteous prevail?

Author’s Bio

Born and raised in Cajun country, Lee Stephen spent his childhood paddling pirogues through the marshes of South Louisiana. When he wasn’t catching bullfrogs or playing with alligators in the bathtub (both true), he was escaping to the world of the imagination, creating worlds in his mind filled with strange creatures and epic journeys. This hasn’t stopped.

Now a resident of Luling, Louisiana, Lee spends time every day delving into the world of Epic, the science-fiction series that has come to define him as a writer and producer. Alongside his wife, Lindsey, their sons, Levi and Lawson, and their dog, Jake, Lee has made it a mission to create a series that is unique in its genre—one unafraid to address the human condition while staying grounded in elements of faith.

Places to Find Lee Stephen

Giveaway

Win one of 3 sets of books in the Epic series, Dawn of Destiny and Outlaw Trigger (Open to USA & Canada) Ends July 4.

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Giveaway & Interview: Franz Ross, Author of Our Future Good

Folks, please welcome Franz Ross (aka T. J. Kirby), author of Our Future Good. I really enjoyed Our Future Good, a sharp mix of near-future scifi and social commentary. The audiobook is narrated by Simon Vance, one of my all-time favorite narrators. He’s here today for a lovely chat about physics in science fiction writing, holography, life as a realtor, Warren Buffett, and much more. If you’re here for the giveaway, Franz if offering up 3 audiobook copies of Our Future Good. Scroll to the bottom to enter!

You have a dedicated interest in holography. How did you get started in that? How has the hobby changed over the decades?

I have a small publishing business and I happened to see a notice that these guys were giving classes on how to make your own holograms. If you ever see a real good volume hologram (a hologram that actually forms an image in space out in front of the plate) it is very impressive. People that have never seen one spend a lot of time running their hand through the ghost-like image.

So I did a book with the people that conducted these classes and the book was called the Holography Handbook and it was very well received. Both MacMillan and McGraw-Hill put it in their book clubs and the book sold well in stores too.

I then went on to do a series called the Holography Marketplace which had 8 editions and came out almost annually. Each edition had articles on holography and a database of all the businesses in holography. Each edition was also filled with lots of holograms from various vendors.

Artistic holography was very big for quite a while and there were hologram stores in lots of cities. It has kind of died down now and most uses of holograms today are in security devices like credit cards, money and things like that. It will probably come back in time.

What now-dead author would you like to interview? What are some of the things you would chat about?

Aldous Huxley. I thought Brave New World was an interesting insight to where things might go. The other possibility for the future was 1984. It would be interesting to hear his comments.

What has been your worst or most difficult job? How does it compare to writing?

Being a Realtor is very difficult because you never know what is going to happen or where your next dollar will come from.

Writing takes a long time and it is more time consuming and difficult than I first thought but you do it because you love doing it.

Who are your non-writer influences?

I like to casually follow stocks so people like Warren Buffett are interesting.

I really like cutting edge science so the things that people like Elon Musk are doing are very interesting. It is really exciting to be alive today because everything is changing so rapidly.

You have a degree in physics. Did that make writing your book, Our Future Good, easier or more difficult?

It helps a little because it allows you to discount a lot of the garbage in the news and gives you a more realistic idea as to where things are going to go. Our Future Good is the not too distant future and I think people will be surprised how quickly these things come to exist.

I will take this moment to sketch this out: One way of looking at the near future is that there will be 3 major human inventions during our time. The inventions will be so important that you would have to go all the way back to the invention of written language or the wheel to find something comparable.

1) The internet – We have just started this one and it is difficult to understand how incredible it is because you are living it.

2) Mobile Robotic Devices – This has not started yet but it is coming very soon. Call them robots if you like. Robots will make robots and repair robots. So you will be able to create huge quantities of robots if needed and they will do all our mundane chores.

3) Biological Evolution – This comes soon too. To survive as humans we have always gone out and wacked a plant or animal to death and then stuffed it in our mouth to get the nourishment we need. So we are basically using our body as a garbage disposal that leaches out nutrients that we need and this process also slowly clogs up our plumbing and kills us. We will find a way to provide all the nutrients our body needs without going through all this waste.

In this age of publishing, self-promotion is really necessary for the author. What do you enjoy most about advertising yourself and your works? What do you find most challenging?

I really have to spend more time on this. I published a number of books by other authors in my business called Ross Books (www.rossbooks.com) but I never actually wrote a book before Our Future Good.

I admit I am not good at self-promotion and I need to work on it. Maybe your readers have some ideas.

If you were asked to create the syllabus for a college class in SFF literature, what books would be on there as required reading? As passing discussion?

1984

Brave New World

Some of Isaac Asimov’s voluminous writings (hundreds of books).

Arthur Clarke

H. G. Wells

Ray Bradbury

Thank you Franz for spending time with us!

Book Blurb for Our Future Good:

Mary and Joe are young people just graduating from their General Lessons. It is time for them to go to their first Project Day and choose the first Project they will to join. Mary wants desperately to get her boyfriend Joe to join her in the NutriSuit Project, but Joe wants just as desperately to do a Journalist Project because a major event is happening and Joe has an opportunity to play an important role

Places to Find Franz Ross (T. J. Kirby)

Now for the Giveaway! Franz Ross is offering up 3 (three!) copies of the audiobook Our Future Good. You need to have an Audible.com (USA) account. For a quick, easy entry in to the giveaway, leave me comment with the following: an email address, do you have an Audible USA account?, and recommend a scifi audiobook. For even more chances to win, do the rafflecopter thing.

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Interview: Erin Gitchell, Author of The Feast

Welcome Erin Gitchell, author of The Feast. Today we chat about the company of Ents, Firefly, library work, coverart and more. Enjoy!

If you could, what book/movie/TV series would you like to experience for the first time all over again and why?

Book / Movie: Howl’s Moving Castle. I’d like to read the book before seeing the movie. I did it the other way around and have regretted it ever since. I wish I could go back in time and read the book for the first time without the movie characters in my head.

TV Series: Firefly. It was such a fun show! Perfect blend of humor, danger, spunk, chemistry, violence, and shiny lingo. The first time I saw it, I missed a few episodes here and there. I’ve watched it multiple times since, but I wish I could go back in time and watch it properly the first time around.

Given the opportunity, what fantastical beast of fiction would you like to encounter in the wild? Which would you avoid at all costs? Would you take a selfie with the beastie?

I think I’d enjoy traveling with an Ent for a while, and I’d REALLY enjoying talking to a dragon (but not the kind that would want to eat me). I would definitely avoid a dementor, since, being a muggle, I’d have no way to protect myself from them. And no, I’d never take a selfie with an Ent, dragon, or dementor. My daughter is the only beastie I’ll take pictures with (begrudgingly).

Who are your non-writer influences?

I work at a library and see a wide variety of people every day. Some just look so much like characters, it’s hard not to imagine them that way, inventing fantastical histories and personalities for them. The downside is when they do actually talk to me, I have to pretend like I didn’t give them a name and place in a story. I’m influenced by daily life, just little moments that trigger ideas, nothing grand or methodical. “There is learning in everything,” someone said in a book I read once, and it’s something I truly believe.

If you couldn’t be a writer, what would you chose to do?

I’d be an inventor or explorer. I like to take things apart and try and fix them, too, which kind of goes along with inventing. Or an artist (but not the snooty kind). However, I am pretty happy being a librarian (except when grumpy patrons yell at me).

If you were asked to create the syllabus for a college class in SFF literature, what books would be on there as required reading? As passing discussion?

Required Reading:

–The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings trilogy also encouraged)

– A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

– A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

– The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

– 1984 by George Orwell (if they somehow managed to make it this far in life without reading it)

Encouraged Reading:

– A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin

– Sabriel by Garth Nix

– Anything by Robin McKinley

– Anything by Robert Jordan (if they want to go down that road, more power to them!)

I guess the syllabus focuses on fantasy. Oh well.

Care to share an awkward fangirl/fanboy moment, either one where someone was gushing over your work…..or one where you were gushing over another author’s work?

In truth, I haven’t had one yet, unless you count joining the Legolas Fan Club in junior high with the first LOTR film came out. It was a very awkward club. I usually just demonstrate my admiration for an author by re-reading the book(s) over and over.

Cover art can be so important for a book, making or breaking sales. What cover art has caught your eye, that you found stood above other books?

Some covers are so photoshopped these days, that’s all I see (the photoshopping)! It’s great authors have access to artists that can use that kind of software (whether they’re self-published or working with a publisher), but sometimes there are just too many layers. That being said, some of my favorite fantasy covers were created by Kinuko Y. Craft (she has done covers for Robin McKinley and Juliet Marillier, among others). They are EXTREMELY detailed, but in a way that’s not overwhelming…more like a, “The more you look, the more you see” kind of way. I’m intrigued when the cover tells a story, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be an illustration of a scene within the book.

Which mythical/fantastical race would you rather be?

I always choose mermaid (so long as I am speedy enough to avoid getting eaten) since there’s so much of the ocean that needs to be explored. However, not everyone can see the benefit of being a mermaid…

Goodreads blurb about The Feast: Rebellion was sown…Revenge will be reaped…and The Feast for freedom awaits!

Delaterra, once a land of peace and prosperity, is tainted with suspicion and fear. The King’s Eyes and Ears, spies without conscience, hunt the Farmers, a group of Delaterran rebels who are dedicated to restoring Delaterra to her former glory. Yet there are whispers traveling fast on the wind, that the Farmers are not alone in their desire to rid the world of the Nameless One and the tyranny he sows. As The Feast draws near, a woman trapped in the body of a horse, an ex-knight, a seer, and an assassin must draw the factions together if they are to have any chance of success.

Places to Find Erin Gitchell